Pubdate: Fri, 15 Oct 2004
Source: Kelowna Capital News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004, West Partners Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.kelownacapnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1294
Author:  John McDonald
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

FOUR PILLARS COALITION CHAIR STEPS DOWN

The chairman of the Central Okanagan Four Pillars Coalition has resigned, 
according to a terse statement released yesterday afternoon.

The coalition was formed a year ago in response to what many perceive to be 
an increase in street level crime, drug addiction and homelessness in 
Kelowna's downtown core.

Besides wishing Alan Lueck well and thanking him for his hard work, the 
coalition gave no explanation for his departure.

However, a source close to the coalition said Lueck had lost the confidence 
of the coalition's committee sub-chairs.

"He wasn't a very effective chair," said the source, who asked to remain 
anonymous.

"They need somebody who could speak for the group. I don't know if he 
understood what the whole process was actually about."

Lueck could not be reached for comment.

The coalition also announced that vice-chairman Daryle Roberts would be 
reducing his involvement with the coalition.

"My own board has asked me to step back," said Roberts. "I need to get back 
to the Living Positive Resource Centre."

Roberts would not comment on Lueck's departure, but said he views the 
reduction of his own involvement as a good thing.

"The other chairs need to be more involved," he said. "This has always been 
seen as my project. It's not mine, it's a project of the community."

The coalition is based on the so-called Four Pillars approach adopted in 
Vancouver as a solution to the raging drug problem in the Downtown 
Eastside. It tries to address the problem by giving equal parts emphasis on 
the four pillars--enforcement, harm reduction, treatment and prevention.

The coalition has stopped short of embracing the types of harm reduction 
done in Vancouver, such as the safe injection clinic, saying a 
made-in-Kelowna solution will be more appropriate. Roberts said he's 
satisfied with the progress the coalition has made so far and that city 
council will receive an update report sometime in November.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D